Since "Room", Brie Larson seems to be struggling to reclaim that spark that she had. While she gave a solid performance in "Kong: Skull island" and is now looking to be part of the MCU as Captain Marvel she hasn't kept such a great track record. "The Glass Castle" marks another mediocre film that Larson is a part of since "Room". However that's not to say that she performed poorly in "the glass castle", in fact she did pretty well with the material that she's got.
Woody Harrelson also stars in The glass castle as the father to Larson's character, Harrelson who also gave a relatable performance seems to be doing very well recently playing secondary characters but playing them very well.
So, about the movie itself, I found many parallels with a film released earlier this year, "Captain Fantastic". But, "the glass castle never really captures that spark that made me enjoy "Captain Fantastic" so much more than this film. While both films deal with odd family dynamics and internal struggles "The glass castle" just feels like it takes this idea to another extreme.
While in "Captain Fantastic" the cast of children learn and grow through their alternate lifestyle in "the glass castle", they rummage through trash piles as their father attempts to convince them of a beautiful future. In truth, they are rummaging through trash piles and are going nowhere because this father character, he's a deadbeat and has pretty much no redeeming factors to him. To me "the glass castle" glorifies this lifestyle and while I can't say that it is wrong I certainly don't stand by the film's choice to portray this story this way. The film makes it seem like a child's imagination and hope can make up for these poor living conditions but it just doesn't really work.
The film paints of picture that this father is such a great man where in truth, I don't see it at all. To me, the film's direction is misguided on the whole. But, there are redeeming factors, the acting was pretty good and the first act of the story before we learn that the film isn't really going anywhere is alright also. It is when we fit the later parts of the movie do we come to realize that the audience like the characters in the movie are just 'not going anywhere'.
Is there a message hidden somewhere in here, perhaps but the narrative and execution simply does not bring it out in a meaningful or understandable way.
Woody Harrelson also stars in The glass castle as the father to Larson's character, Harrelson who also gave a relatable performance seems to be doing very well recently playing secondary characters but playing them very well.
So, about the movie itself, I found many parallels with a film released earlier this year, "Captain Fantastic". But, "the glass castle never really captures that spark that made me enjoy "Captain Fantastic" so much more than this film. While both films deal with odd family dynamics and internal struggles "The glass castle" just feels like it takes this idea to another extreme.
While in "Captain Fantastic" the cast of children learn and grow through their alternate lifestyle in "the glass castle", they rummage through trash piles as their father attempts to convince them of a beautiful future. In truth, they are rummaging through trash piles and are going nowhere because this father character, he's a deadbeat and has pretty much no redeeming factors to him. To me "the glass castle" glorifies this lifestyle and while I can't say that it is wrong I certainly don't stand by the film's choice to portray this story this way. The film makes it seem like a child's imagination and hope can make up for these poor living conditions but it just doesn't really work.
The film paints of picture that this father is such a great man where in truth, I don't see it at all. To me, the film's direction is misguided on the whole. But, there are redeeming factors, the acting was pretty good and the first act of the story before we learn that the film isn't really going anywhere is alright also. It is when we fit the later parts of the movie do we come to realize that the audience like the characters in the movie are just 'not going anywhere'.
Is there a message hidden somewhere in here, perhaps but the narrative and execution simply does not bring it out in a meaningful or understandable way.